“What a year of historic progress! In 2022, pro-environment majorities in the House and Senate showed the world what’s possible when our leaders are committed to delivering the action on climate, clean energy, jobs and justice voters demand.”  
Earlier this week, LCV released the 2022 National Environmental Scorecard. Have you checked the scores for your members of Congress yet?

2022 was an exceptionally productive year in the pro-environment, pro-democracy-led House and Senate. This year’s Scorecard includes dozens of votes on impactful climate and environmental policies, in addition to a number of votes on legislation that would strengthen democracy and safeguard equity.

This year's Scorecard scored a total of 23 Senate votes and 19 House votes, including:

• The clean energy plan (Inflation Reduction Act), which we counted twice in each chamber to reflect its importance
• Votes to undermine environmental review and public input
• A bill to halt Big Oil price gouging
• Marriage equality and reproductive rights
• Diverse judicial confirmations

Nine out of 100 senators and 84 out of 435 representatives achieved perfect, 100% LCV Scorecard scores. These members — all Democrats — consistently voted to protect our environment, democracy, and communities in 2022. These heat maps clearly illustrate how Member of Congress from each state or territory scored.
 
Counting the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) double in both chambers was a first for this year’s Scorecard, but not the only first. For the first time ever, LCV’s Scorecard included votes in both chambers on a bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, which was signed into law, as well as a bill for reproductive rights, which did not pass the Senate. LCV is committed to safeguarding equity, because we need all members of our society to be able to participate in our democracy and thrive in order to defend the health of our environment. The Senate vote that failed to protect access to reproductive healthcare also serves as a reminder that basic human rights and environmental laws are under threat from the Supreme Court’s extremist majority.

Also for the first time this year, the Scorecard includes a section highlighting the leadership of members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Hispanic Caucus — together, the Tri-Caucus — whose leadership scored an average of 97% on the 2022 Scorecard and were instrumental in passing bold climate legislation and working to address environmental injustice and needed democracy reforms.

As in recent years, the Scorecard also includes votes on democracy issues, including votes to advance and confirm historic, personally and professionally diverse judicial nominees. This includes the vote to confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

We also scored votes on the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, a bill that would restore and expand much-needed voter protections, including against discrimination targeting voters of color, and the DISCLOSE Act, a campaign finance reform bill that would provide for greater and faster public disclosure of federal campaign spending and “dark money” contributions.

Even with widespread support, they could not overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate, with Republicans blocking their advance. This democracy vote underscores the partisan divide between Democrats who champion policies that would strengthen and protect our nation’s democracy, and Republicans who seek to undermine our electoral systems and weaken voting rights.

Were your members of Congress on the right or wrong side of progress? Check out their 2022 LCV Scorecard scores now. And thank you for all your support!

Onward,

Matthew Davis
Senior Director of Government Affairs
League of Conservation Voters

P.S. Want to help LCV continue this important work? Chip in a special Scorecard gift today »